Facebook's Restriction of Palestinian News Outlets During Ongoing Conflict

The BBC's investigation into Facebook's influence during the Israel-Gaza war highlights a drastic engagement drop for Palestinian news organizations, raising concerns over biased moderation practices that may have impacted information accessibility.

Facebook has come under scrutiny for its role in moderating news content from Palestinian territories amidst the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. A comprehensive study conducted by BBC has revealed that Palestinian news outlets, operating from Gaza and the West Bank, have faced a staggering 77% decrease in audience engagement on Facebook since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. This is a stark contrast to Israeli news organizations, which experienced a 37% increase in engagement during the same period.

Reports indicate that major Palestinian news outlets such as Palestine TV, with an impressive 5.8 million followers, have struggled to reach their audience effectively. Journalists have reported that their posts have increasingly become less visible, prompting fears of being "shadow-banned"—a term denoting significant limitations on posts without explicit notifications or reasons.

An investigation of comments has revealed that Instagram, another platform owned by Meta, modified its algorithms to intensify its moderation of comments made by Palestinian users shortly after the outbreak of violence. Insiders have shared that internal communication raised alarms about potential biases introduced against Palestinian voices, with one engineer questioning adjustments made to the system.

Interestingly, while Palestinian outlets have suffered, Arabic-language news pages based outside the region, including Sky News Arabia and Al-Jazeera, have reported nearly 100% increase in engagement on their social media posts related to the conflict. This discrepancy raises pressing concerns regarding Meta's moderation policies and their potential implications for free speech and information dissemination.

Meta has refuted allegations of intentional suppression, asserting that restrictions were necessary to mitigate "hateful content" while navigating the challenges of the conflict. As many as 137 Palestinian journalists are reported to have lost their lives since the beginning of the war, yet relentless efforts are being made to share their stories. Journalists remain determined to overcome the hurdles associated with engaging narratives from Gaza, asserting the need to voice their experiences amidst the turmoil.